


In the Dark Places

by cruisedirector



Category: Smallville
Genre: Blindness, Community: contrelamontre, Espionage, Implied/Referenced Homophobia, M/M, POV First Person, POV Outsider, Sons, Superheroes, Suspicions
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2003-02-22
Updated: 2003-02-22
Packaged: 2017-10-03 15:39:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 439
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19711
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cruisedirector/pseuds/cruisedirector
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Lionel Luthor keeps an eye on his son and Clark Kent, even though he can't see them.</p>
            </blockquote>





	In the Dark Places

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the contrelamontre challenge to write about a couple from the point of view of a third person.

Clark Kent never sweats.

I shouldn't be surprised that I'm the only one who knows. I've always seen things that no one else noticed, but ever since I lost my vision, it's become much more pronounced. This fact is hard to miss because the boy always smells sweet. He perspires, but there's no stench of exertion after a hard afternoon's labor at whatever menial task his father has set for him.

And Clark never reeks of fear. I like that about him, that although I know he can be scared -- any threat to his parents or to Lex is enough -- he never has that stink of terror that I've scented on everyone else, even on Lex. I've seen the Kent boy with his hair plastered to his forehead, shirt clinging after a near-escape, not knowing where to look, yet he smells prettier than that perfumed girlfriend of his from the Talon.

Even before I was blind, I could smell my son's lust for Clark Kent. Any fool who ever saw them together could see it in Lex's eyes -- big round longing glances whether people were watching or not. Lex isn't foolish enough to get involved with a teenager who could land him in jail, but it's still unpleasant knowing that I have a son with a weakness for pretty boys.

It's not really surprising -- I always knew Lex had weakness in him. And it's easier to manage than alcoholism or gluttony. This is one of the rare goals I share with Jonathan Kent: the desire to make certain that our sons never give in to their urges.

Because I know Jonathan sees it too -- the wide-eyed, wounded-deer look Clark always gets when Lex manages to do something Luthorlike. And the way Lex's mouth softens when he notices Clark looking at him. The Kents want a farm-fresh homecoming queen for a daughter-in-law. They sure as hell don't want Lex.

My eyesight is returning slowly, though I haven't told anyone -- not even my doctor, not even to learn if there's a way to speed up the process. Blindness is too much of an asset right now. It reminds Lex of his guilt and keeps Martha feeling obligated to assist me.

For now I must make do with hearing when Clark sounds upset, damp-eyed and dry-mouthed. With listening to the way his footsteps falter on my floors, with feeling the unnaturally hard vibration of the doorframe when he bursts into a room. But I'll be able to see him soon enough. To watch him with Lex, with that boy Pete, with his parents. With me.

To find out why he never sweats.


End file.
